Bush Noel A Strong Christmas Classic

This time a September 2016 best before date was printed on the label so I knew it had to make space for something else. The beer from Dubuisson was first introduced in 1991 ‘as a response to consumer demands for the ideal beer to add lustre to their end-of-year celebrations’, or so it says on the brewery homepage.

Obviously they didn’t want to take any chances of spoiling the fulfilment of this desire by a presidential association; the beer is labelled Scaldis Noel for the USA.

Bush Noel pours a clear (filtered) dark amber with a beige head: The aroma is yeasty with plenty of ripe fruit; notably, apple, pear, banana. A slight peppery element creeps in together with a flowery note of fresh roses.

The pear esters come up front in the taste closely followed by a smooth banana and papaya. Caramel malt sweetness and darker fruits are there but held well in check by the hop bitterness.

The beer tends towards a full white wine; the alcohol (12% vol.) comes slowly through and the overall impression is of a very smooth tropical punch with a dose of spice.

Bush noel is a classic strong dark ale that certainly added lustre to my end of year celebrations. Buy it and enjoy it!